


Break

by p_eppermintea



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Enemies, Erwin kinda sucks, Levi hates Erwin so much lol, M/M, Set during No Regrets, Very slightly implied sub/dom dynamic, mild violence, only slightly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24461332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p_eppermintea/pseuds/p_eppermintea
Summary: “But if I have to beat you into submission, I will. I don’t care who sees, or what they think.” He looks up at Levi, all eyelashes and thick eyebrows. “I will break you.”
Relationships: Levi & Erwin Smith, Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 1
Kudos: 61





	Break

**Author's Note:**

> Oh geez, it's 7am for me as I'm posting this. Stayed up all night for the first time in a while to finish this.  
> I apologise if it doesn't make sense or if I ended up repeating some things. Also gosh, I hate giving my fics titles.

The sharp _smack_ of the back of Erwin’s hand connecting with Levi’s cheek resonates throughout the stables. He hits him so hard that Levi is knocked off his feet, sprawling awkwardly across the dirt. He whirls around to look at Erwin, baring his teeth. “Fuck you!” he spits.

Erwin stalks towards him. His hands are balled up into fists at his sides – ready and deadly like any other weapon. “You need to learn some manners.”

“ _Fuck you_ ,” Levi repeats. His insult is met by a swift hit to the side of his head by Erwin’s shin. He falls back, his head connecting hard against the ground. He can hear a collective gasp from the other trainees, and Furlan and Isabel shouting his name.

Levi barely has time to spit onto the ground before Erwin swoops down to grab him by the collar of his uniform and yank him up to his feet. He holds him just above the ground like a mother cat carrying her young around by the scruff.

Levi bares his teeth at the man, kicking out at him with his legs. Who the fuck does he think he _is?_ He’s convinced that Erwin just likes to take any chance to smack him around like a punching bag. All Levi did was be a _little_ rude to his training officer. It’s not like he even really wants to be here. Perhaps Erwin is trying to prove something, although Levi’s not sure what or to whom. Is he concerned about his position within the Corps? Or perhaps he just does it for fun. _Perhaps he just hates me._

Levi wanted to kill Erwin before, but now he _really_ wants to kill him. If it wasn’t practically a death wish, he would take him on right here, right now.

But no. He’ll wait. He’s going to take his time killing Erwin Smith, and he’s going to enjoy it.

Erwin and Levi stare each other down; fierce grey eyes meeting piercing blue. The tension is palpable, and no one says a word or so much as twitches until, finally, Erwin throws Levi back down. Levi stumbles a little, trying to regain his balance. He balls up his fists, fingernails digging almost-painfully into his palms. They continue to stare.

It’s not like Levi can exactly fight back and give it all he’s got right now. Surely not with Mike right behind him, constantly sniffing up Erwin’s ass like some kind of lapdog. He thinks back to Mike’s hand forcing his head into that disgusting puddle. Maybe he’ll make him watch Erwin die, and then kill him after, too.

Erwin’s thick eyebrows furrow. The disdain in his gaze is obvious. “I expect you in my office after training,” he says, and then he turns on the heel of his boot and retreats back towards the office building. Mike follows closely behind, throwing a “Get back to it!” over his shoulder.

As soon as Erwin is completely out of sight, Isabel and Furlan run up to Levi, ready to make a fuss. Levi shrugs them off, though. He’s far too pissed off to even talk to his friends right now. He goes back to his horse and reaches up to stroke the side of her neck. _Stay calm. Don’t ruin everything you’ve been working up to._

While everyone else heads to the mess hall for dinner, Levi makes his way to Erwin’s office. Isabel had given him a sad look and promised to save him some of her dinner. Such bullshit that he has to miss out for whatever ridiculousness Erwin has planned. He knocks heavily on the door and waits outside with his hands clasped behind his back. He knows Erwin is in there – he can hear him talking on the other side of the door. He’s left to wait outside for far too long for his liking. He starts to pace outside of the office, painfully impatient.

He’s about to give up and just leave, reluctant obedience be damned, when the door swings open and he’s finally face to face with Erwin. “Levi,” he says, stepping aside. “Come in.”

Levi supresses an annoyed grumble and steps inside the threshold of Erwin’s office. It’s a rather spacious office, almost impressively so. There are a couple of chairs in front of a desk, and a God-ugly rug spread on the wooden floorboards. Mike is leaning against a bookshelf with his arms crossed. The sneer he gives Levi is almost laughable to him.

Erwin strides swiftly past Levi and back to his desk, sitting down at the chair. He folds his hands in front of him neatly and they both stare each other down in silence. Slowly, one of Erwin’s eyebrows lifts. _What the fuck does he want from me?_

They stare at each other for a while. It’s like some sort of weird standoff. Levi refuses to be the first one to act. As it seems, so does Erwin.

Finally, Mike sighs heavily. “Salute, trainee,” he snaps.

Begrudgingly, Levi stands up straight and slaps his fist against his chest. “Sir,” he says, simply.

Erwin leans back in his chair, crossing his legs on the way. “Levi,” he replies, just as curtly. He has this strange sort of coolness to him. His devil-may-care attitude is downright unappealing, but Levi guesses that’s probably the exact reason why so many people trust him as a captain. Half of the idiots here would die for him in a heartbeat, and it makes Levi sick.

“At ease, Levi,” Erwin commands. He doesn’t take his eyes off of Levi, and he’s half convinced that he doesn’t even blink. Is he trying to be intimidating? “Mike, you can leave us alone.”

Mike leaves without a word, but Levi can feel his glare boring a hole into his back. _Glare away, asshole_.

Erwin is silent until the door closes behind Mike. He gestures in front of him. “Sit.”

Levi obeys. The chair creaks under his weight, but it’s sturdy. He’s determined to remain non-committal and as distant as possible, but he tosses up between obedience and just being downright rude.

“You need to learn to trust me, Levi.”

“What reason do I have to trust you?” Levi challenges. He guesses he’ll go for something in-between. He slips down into his chair and brings one foot up to rest on the seat. Finally comfortable, he tilts his head back. “What choice do I have, even?”

Erwin huffs out a laugh. “I suppose you don’t really have a choice,” he agrees. He leans forwards, serious. “Trust the Survey Corps – and more importantly, me – or spend the rest of your life imprisoned.”

“I wonder which would be worse.”

Erwin laughs for real at that, leaning back again. “A true dilemma, indeed,” he says. “We all end up the same in the end. Why not use your incredible talents for the good of humanity?”

Levi stays silent. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a bit of a thrill from being a member of the Survey Corps. Even after getting his citizenship – and, providing that he doesn’t get caught or prosecuted for killing Erwin – he sometimes thinks that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to stay. He has way more potential than anyone else in the Corps, that’s for sure.

It’s nice to feel useful and powerful. He supposes that’s why his life underground felt generally fulfilling to him.

“You’re talented, Levi. More so than anyone else here,” Erwin tells him. “I know this, and you haven’t even faced a real titan yet. I really hope that you can learn to trust me. I know that it won’t happen overnight, but I do know that we will make a great team someday.”

Levi furrows his brows. “You want me to trust you,” he says slowly, “and yet you kick me around in front of everyone.”

“Above all else, you need to learn obedience.” Erwin says it like it’s obvious. “Don’t you think that the best way to teach someone obedience to beat it into them?” He pauses, looking up and directly into Levi’s eyes. “Especially when they’re as difficult as you.”

“You’re sadistic,” Levi hisses.

“That, I am.”

In that moment, there’s a tentative knock at the door. Erwin makes a delighted sound and stands up. “Come in,” he calls.

A small trainee with blonde hair opens the door and peeks her head in. “Um, I brought your dinner for you, Mr. Smith, sir,” she says timidly.

“Excellent.” Erwin approaches her and takes a platter out of her hands. “Thank you.”

She salutes and leaves without a word. The military has always creeped Levi out. He wonders what Erwin has done to earn her salute and her trust.

Erwin sets a shitty metal plate holding a bowl of soup, a small loaf of bread, and a couple of steamed potatoes in front of Levi. “Eat with me,” he requests. Or, it _sounds_ like a request, but Levi knows it’s an order. He sets his own dinner down at his side of the desk and sits back down. He passes Levi a knife, fork, and spoon.

Levi regards the cutlery. The knife is blunt and essentially useless. He flicks his gaze back up to Erwin, who is already digging into his bread and soup. Could he kill him right here, right now? Just leap over the desk and jab the fork into his neck.

He’d probably be killed on the spot if he even tried and failed. Or, maybe not. Erwin seems like the kind of sick fuck who would still try to keep him around, anyway. _For the sake of humanity._ That’s always been his reasoning for wanting Levi to work under him.

Levi may hate his guts, but at least his intentions seem decent enough. It’s almost a shame.

Although, he’s not sure what the consequences of killing Erwin could be. There’s no one like him, that’s for sure. Everyone says that Erwin’s tactical abilities are some of the best, and he’s a natural-born leader. They all seem to think that Erwin is humanity’s only hope right now. And maybe under different circumstances, Levi might, too.

Ripping into his bread, Levi shakes the thought out of his head. Isabel and Furlan’s citizenships and wellbeing are more important to him than Erwin’s life ever will be. They’re his family. They will always come first, and they deserve a comfortable life on the surface.

Erwin and Levi eat quietly, and a little awkwardly. While Levi is avoiding eye contact, he takes a look around the office. It’s nice, he guesses, but _fuck._ He can see the dust in the air, and he doesn’t even want to think about the possible disarray inside Erwin’s desk drawers. If he wasn’t so starving, he would be completely put off his dinner.

When he looks back at Erwin, he’s looking right at him. It’s downright creepy, but if that’s how he wants to do thing, Levi is more than happy to oblige. He stuffs bread into his mouth and stares right back at him. What is he _looking_ at? If he’s expecting Levi to say something, then he’s sorely mistaken. He’ll sit there and stare at him all night if he has to. He’ll never deny that he isn’t a stubborn man.

If Erwin is going to lead Levi straight to his death, then he’s not going to just let it happen without a fight.

Erwin knows this.

Erwin puts his spoon down softly in his half empty soup bowl. “Do you want to know what I think?”

Levi takes a bite out of one of his potatoes. “Not really,” he says, chewing while he talks. It’s gross and rude, but he’ll do anything to cement the fact that he won’t completely submit to Erwin – even in petty shit like this.

Erwin goes on anyway. “I think you’re smarter than everyone thinks you are. And you’re better than everyone thinks you are, too,” he tells him. “You’re better than those two friends of yours, who will only hold you back.” Levi bristles at that and opens his mouth to snap back at him, but Erwin quickly continues. “And maybe you’re even too good for me.”

He leans forwards, fire and determination in his eyes. “But I’m your only option for survival right now. You’re just too much work for anyone else to want to deal with, even if you are unbelievably skilled.”

Levi scoffs. He really is full of back-and-forths. How exhausting. “Am I supposed to be flattered or insulted?”

“I don’t care. You really have no choice, so I’m not interested in flattery. Or insults, for that matter.” Erwin folds his arms. “But if I have to beat you into submission, I will. I don’t care who sees, or what they think.” He looks up at Levi, all eyelashes and thick eyebrows. “ _I will break you_.”

Levi can’t help but shudder at that. For some reason, he completely believes him. He won’t give up so easily, but he is certain that Erwin will do whatever it takes to make sure he submits. He stays silent at that and finishes off his final potato. A tiny voice in the back of his mind wonders if perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad to submit completely to Erwin. Almost cringing, Levi shoves that voice further back. _Absolutely not_.

Erwin, satisfied at Levi’s reaction (or lack thereof), goes back to eating like nothing happened. Levi slowly puts his cutlery back on the plate.

For some reason, and for the first time, Erwin’s words are affecting him. _I will break you_. He’s already broken – it’s hard not to be, with the life he’s had – but Erwin will find a way to break him even more, eventually, and he has no doubts about that. It’s unnerving.

Levi decides that while Erwin Smith might be all charisma, piercing blue eyes, and jawlines; he’s also evil. That’s probably why he’s made it this far.

“Are we done?” Levi asks.

“Sure,” Erwin replies. He sets his cutlery down. “I expect you back here first thing in the morning, though. We have a lot of work to do.”

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Levi nods and stands up. “Yes, sir.” He salutes half heartedly and turns to leave swiftly. He sees a hint of Erwin’s smile.

Once the door is shut behind him, Levi heaves a sigh. He takes his time walking back to the barracks, mulling everything over.

On one hand, Erwin Smith is his ticket to a comfortable life within the walls. If he just gets his job done, he can disappear with Furlan and Isabel. Open a tea shop or something, and finally live comfortably.

But on the other hand…

Some part of him sees potential in Erwin and their proposed partnership; and an even sicker part of him is already starting to respect him, in some way. He may be a lot of things (annoying, relentless to the point where it’s almost pathetic, and _incredibly_ fake), but he’s certainly ambitious. Rightfully so, as well.

 _I will break you_.

A voice inside of Levi hisses; _not if I break you first._

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](http://p-eppermintea.tumblr.com)!  
> Maybe... send prompts...??? Concrit is also fun and accepted.


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